Heat exchange apparatus



3 sheetsh-Sheet 1 Oct. 7, 1941. c. FELD HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATS FiledJan. 20, 1939 oct. 7, 1941. Q HELD 2,257,904

HEAT EXCHANGE APPARATUS I Filed Jan. 20, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORrosb] Field BY @Mm Q @WMF I' l m 'Y ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 7, 1941--Crosby Field, mkiyn, N. Y., signor to rance Corporation, Brooklyn, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Application January zo, 1939, serial No.251,910

(c1. sz-ios) I 17 Claims. This invention relates to heat exchangeapparatus and more particularly to apparatus for solidifying materialssuch as water.

An object of this invention is to provide apparatus which may beoperated continuously to -congeal materials and more particularly toproduce ice. A further object is to provide apparatus oi.' the abovecharacter which is sturdy and compact in construction, dependable andefiicient in its operation, and which is economical to build and tooperate. These and otherobjects will be in part obvious and vin partpointed out below. Y

'I'he invention accordingly consists in the features of construction,combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts as will beexempliiied in the stucture to be hereinafter described and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters refer tocorresponding parts throughout the several views.

Figure 1 is a vertical section showing parts of certain of the elementsin elevation;

Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a perspective .view'of the stationary drum and webvconstruction showing the path of circulation of the cooling brineiand`Figure 4 is a-view similar to Figure 3 but with the drum sheet structurein position.y

In some respects the present embodiment of my invention may beconsidered an improvement upon that shown in my prior Patent No.2,078,938, issued May 4, 1937, entitled Heat exchange apparatus. Thepresent apparatus will be discussed` as used for making ice in the formof thin ribbons which are peeled from a iiexlble metal cylinder formedof a plurality of flexible metal bands. The cylinder is mounted with itsaxis in a horizontal position'and is partially immersed in Water withonly its upper side extending above thewater.

A cold liquid such as brine is circulated within the cylinder therebycausing ice to form on the outer surface of the cylinder, and thecylinder is rotated; during rotation, the cylinder is flexed along theupper side where it extends from the water. Thus, as the cylinderrotates. ice is formed upon the portion of the drum immersed in thewater, and by the time the ice reaches a certain predeterminedthickness, it is moved out of the water and is peeled from the cylinder.

The brine within the cylinder is maintained system having an evaporatorwithin the cylinder. Accordingly. ammonia is supplied to the evaporatorin the liquid form and is withdrawn after evaporation in the gaseousform; a brine agitator moves the brine through and around the evaporatorand into contact with the inner surface of the cylinder in a manner morefully pointed out below. D

Referring particularly to Figure 1 of the drawings, the insulated outercasing 2 forms a water tank 3 with a cover 4. A ilexlble metal cylinderconstruction formed oi' a plurality of individual freezing bands orpanels 5, and generally indicated at 6, is supported at each end by anend bell 8 having a hub assembly generally indicated at I0; each hubassembly l0 extends through a water tight bearingy I2.

In this embodiment, the flexible metal 'cylinder I is. divided at thecenter to form in eect two separate cylinders; the adjacent ends ofthese two separate cylinders are attached to a center ring Il by rubberiianges.` Center ring Il assists in supporting the ilexible cylinder andis in turn supported by three internal roller umts; one roller unit 15is positioned at the top, and (see Figure 3) a roller unitII ispositioned on each side near the bottom. Each unit 3| comprises sixroller bearings rotatably mounted in a suitable frame construction whichis welded in place upon the adjacent wall of the evaporator.

Surrounding center ring I4 and attachedV thereto Ais a center gear I6and at each end upon the end bell 8 is a similar gearv 9. Positionednear the bottom of each of gears I6 and-9 and engaging therewith is apinion il; pinions l1 are rigidly mounted upon a stud shaft I5 which issupported at the ends of the casing. and extends to the left where it.is driven by a motor Il. Thus, during operation the flexible cylinderconstruction is'rotated by motor Il through stud shaft I5, pinions Il,and gears 9 and IG.

Additional support is provided for the iiexible cylinder 8 at the top bythe exing roller construction generally indicated at 80 (see also Figure2) and the iiexible cylinder is thus in a sense partially suspended butis held deiinitely in position by the stationary structure. Thisstationary structure, including the evaporator and the brine circulatingmechanism, is supported at the right end by a stationary hollow shaft I8and at the left end by a similar hollow 'shaft 20. Each of the hollowshafts extends through the center o! the hub assembly Ill to theexterior of casing 2 where it is supported by a stationary bracket at alow temperature by means of a refrigeration I3. Shafts I8 and 20 carrycircular end plates 22 and 24 respectively which are within the flex-`tral portion of drum 28 to form a cylindrical evaporator. Extending thelength of the evaporator through the two header plates are tubes 89which are open at their ends. The brine being circulated as mentionedabove passes through these tubes and is cooled.

As indicated above, cylinder 6 is. filled with cold brine, and thisbrine completely surrounds drum 26 and also fills tubes 39 and thespaces within the drum between the header plates 26 and 29 and the endplates 22 and 24 respectively. Near the left end of drum 26 is mounted adished head 21 which carries a fluted funnel 33 and a brine agitator 32;brine agitator 82 is rotated by means of a shaft extending to the leftthrough hollow shaft 29 and carrying a pulley 35. When brine agitator 32is rotated, it takes brine in through openings in the fiuted funnel 33and forces the brine tothe right through tubes 39 and out the right endof the tubes past header plate 28 and then out radially through a plu-4rality of openings 36. The brine thus refrigerated by its passagethrough tubes 39 is moved into contact with the flexible cylinder and isreturned to the agitator in a manner more fully pointed out below.

As shown best in Figure 4, drum 26 is surrounded by two sections of drumsheets 38; the drum sheets are formed of sheet metal and are providedwith a large number of small openings or jets 39. The two sections ofdrum sheets 38 are spaced apart at the center and are supported on drum26 by a web structure, shown best in Figures 2 and 3. The drum sheetsnot only provide the nozzles or jets to direct the refrigerated brineagainst the interior surfaces of the flexible freezing panels, but alsoprovide part of the support for the flexible cylinder.,v As shown inFigure 2, the flexible cylinder has a plurality of circumferentialrubber bands 1 fastened between the panels comprising the cylinder.These bands serve to carry the flexible cylinder over the drum sheetsand also to space the 'exible panels from the drum sheets so that thespent brine after flowing against the exible panels can ilow between theexible panels and the drum sheets to the top of the flexible cylinder.

The web structure supporting the drum sheets comprises ten Webs equallyspaced along the drum, as shown in Figure 3. The tops of the webstructures are welded to four longitudinally extending frame members 62.The end Vwebs 49 are solid and thus form the end walls of a passagewaywhich extends from openings 36 to the left between drum 26 and drumsheets 38. The webs 42 spaced between the end webs 49 are designated bythe sub-letters a, b, c, d, e, y and h, all of which are cut away oneach side to provide openings 58 -so that the brine may pass from theopenings 36 to the left along the drum. Drum sheets 38 are Welded to thewebs 49 and 42 and to the frame members 62. i

During movement of the brine to the left wit in the drum sheets 38 fromone section to another, sufficient head is Imaintained to cause some ofthe brine to move outwardly through the jets 39 in the drum sheet ofeach section; jets 39 are grouped as shown in Figure 4 to impinge thebrine upon the inner surface of each of the freezing panels 8 ofcylinder 8 (see also Figures 1 and 2). Freezing panels 8 are thusmaintained at a low temperature, and water within tank 3 freezes uponthe outer surface of the Panels.

Under some conditions of operation, dimculty may be encountered if allof the freezing panels l are not cooled at a uniform rate throughout. Inthepresent embodiment, this result is obtained by maintaining a uniformpressure head upon all of the jets 39 with the result that there is auniform flow of brine through the Jets and against the freezing panels8. This uniform pressure head is maintained by making the passagewaywhich extends from the openings 88 to the left between drum 28 and drumsheets 38 progressively decrease in cross-sectional area. This decreasein cross-sectional area is made by using a plurality of baffles, shownbest in Figure 3, and indicated by the numerals 89, 84, 98 and 83. Thesebames extend varying distances downwardly from the top of the drumsheets 88, and they are spaced sumciently from the drum sheets to permitthe brine to move upwardly to the jets 39 opposite the bames. At the topeach baille is welded to its frame member 62, and at the bottom itextends inwardly as shown in Figure 2 and is welded to drum 28; alongthe sides. each baffle is welded to the adjacent web structures. Thevarious webs 42 are cut away to prol vide openings 88 only where brineis to pass; thus,

chamber between webs 49 and 42a; it is here confined at the top bybaille 69 and as it moves to the left through openings 88, it enters thechamber between web 42a and 42h which is smaller than the space betweenweb 49 and 42a as bams 64 is longer than baille 89. At the left end ofthe drum, bales 88 and 68 -are progressively longer thereby to restrictfurther the brine passageway.

No freezing occurs at the center of the drum between the drum sheets 38,as the center supporting ring I4 (Figure 1) and support units 8| (Figure3) are provided at this point. The cold brine is conducted past thiscenter section of the cylinder through a tunnel-like baille 19 whichextends between webs 42d and 42e and is arcuatel similar to baiiies 89,84, 68 and 68. The upper and lower edges of baille 19 extend inwardly todrum 28; al1 of the edges of the baille are welded to the adjacentportions of webs 42d and 42e and drum 28.

Referring particularly to Figures 4 and 2. after the brine is impingedthrough jets 38 against the freezing panels 8, it moves upwardly betweenthe freezing panels 8 and the drum sheets 38 beyond the edge of the drumsheets, and then (see Figure 3) it moves to the left through apassageway which is provided between drum 26 and the inner side ofbaffles 89, 84 and 88; this passageway is progressively increased incross-section from right to left as the passageway for the cold brine isdecreased. At the left-hand end of the cylinder beneath baiiies 88, thebrine moves into drum 28 through a plurality of openings 18. The flow ofbrine as traced above is shown by arrows in the various figures.

During operation, ice forms upon the freezing panels 8, and, as shownbest in Figure 2, the nexing roller 89 causes an abrupt change in thecurvature of the freezing panels as they rotate and pass over theflexing roller. The ice moves to the right from casing 2 where it isconveyed to a suitable storage chamber. An automatic water supplycontrol is provided to maintain a constant water level within tank 2;this water is supplied through three pipes (not shown) one of whichdirects a stream of water against each of end gears 9 and center gearI4. In this manner, theformation of ice upon the gears is effectivelyprevented, and at the same time the supply water is pre-cooled.

Referring to the right o f Figure l, liquid ammonla is supplied to theevaporator through a pipe 85, and the gaseous ammonia is withdrawnthrough a pipe 86; a liquid pressure equalizing pipe 88 and a gasequalizing pipe Il extend from the end of the evaporator to the ammoniasupply. At the right of agitator 32 is positioned .the end of a brinesample tube 83 which extends to the right through shaft I8 by means ofwhich the brine agitator pressure may be tested and the brine may betested. During operation, the flexible cylinder is entirely fllleti withbrine, and when the temperature of the brine changes. expansion andcontraction occur; accordingly, at the left end of casing 2, a surgetank 90 is provided. Surge tank 90 is connected to drum 26 by a surgepipe 92 which extends to the right through the hollow shaft construction20 to the interior of drum 26 and then upwardly to the top of the drum.A drain pipe 94 extends inwardly plurality of tubes extending betweensaid headers, means to circulate the heat exchange fluid, and means todirect the heat exchange fluid in its movement from one end of saidcylinder through said tubes and out the other end of said Acylinder intocontact with the inner surface of said heat exchange drum.

. 4. In heat exchange apparatus, the combination of: 'a heat exchangedrum adapted to be filled with a heat exchange fluid; and liquidcoolmovement from one end of said cylinder through said tubes and outthe other end of said cylinder into contact with the inner surface ofsaid heat exchange drum, said last-named means including means to directthe fluid back along the outside of the cylinder and impinge it in acontrolled manner upon the inner surface of the drum.

5. In heat exchange apparatus, the combination of: a heat exchange drumadapted to -be illled with a heat exchange fluid; and liquid cooling andcirculating means within said drum comthrough the hollow shaftconstruction 20 and downwardly to the bottom of drum 26.

I claim:

1. In congealing apparatus of the type wherein the material to becongealed is supplied to the outer surface of a exible cylinder and theinner surface of the flexible cylinder.y is cooled by a heat exchangefluid, fluid cooling and circulating means to deliver cold heat exchangefluid to the inner surface of the flexible cylinder comprising, acylindrical evaporator positioned longitudinally of the flexiblecylinder, a drum sheet surrounding said cylindrical evaporator andhaving a plurality of jets evenly spaced to impinge the heat exchangefluid against the'inner surface of the flexible cylinder, and a fluidpump and baille construction to'move the fluid through said jets and inheat exchange relationship with said evaporator.

2. In congealing apparatus of the type wherein the material to becongealed is supplied to the prising, a cylinder having a pair ofheaders one of which is positioned at each of its ends, a plurality oftubes extending between said headers, means to circulate the heatexchange fluid, means of the cylinder and impinge it upon the innerouter surface of a flexible cylinder and the inner surface of theflexible cylinder is cooled by a heat exchange fluid, fluid cooling andcirculating means to deliver cold heat exchange fluid to the innersurface of the flexible cylinder comprising, a cylindrical evaporatorpositioned longitudinally of the flexible cylinder, a drum sheetsurround-l ing said cylindrical evaporator and having a plurality ofjets evenly spaced to impinge the heat exchange fluid against the innersurface of the flexible cylinder, a rotating agitator positioned todirect the heat exchange fluid into one end of said evaporator, andbaille means to direct the fluid from the other end of the evaporatoralong the exterior of the evaporator and through said jets.

3. In heat exchange apparatus, the combination of a heat exchange drumadapted to be filled with a heat exchange fluid; and liquid cooling andcirculating means within said drum comprising, a cylinder having a pairof headers one of which is positioned at each of its ends, a

surface of the drum, means to supply al congealable liquid to the outersurface of the drum, and means -to deflect the drum to remove thecongealed material.

6. In congealing apparatus, the combination of: a flexible drum, meansto supply a congealable material to the exterior of said drum, and meansto extract heat from the liquid through a heat exchange fluid within`said drum; said last-named means comprising an evaporator adapted toreceive liquid refrigerant and permit the refrigerant to evaporate andbe withdrawn in gaseous form, jet means arranged to discharge againstthe under surface of the drum, and a liquid agitator to move heatexchange liquid into heat exchange relationship with respect to saidevaporator and. then through said jet means to cause the heat exchangeliquid to impinge against the inner surface of said drum.

7." In congealing apparatus, the combination of,

' a flexible drum, means to supply a congealable material tothe exteriorof said drum, and means to .extract heat from the liquid through a heatexchange fluid within said` drum; said last-named means comprising anevaporatorgadapted to receive liquid refrigerant and permit therefrigerant to evaporate and be withdrawn in gaseous form, saidevaporator comprising a cylinder with headers therein and a plurality oftubes extending between said headers, jet means arranged ,to dischargeagainst the under surface of the drum, and a liquid agitator to moveheat exchange liquid into heat exchange relationship with respect tosaid evaporator and then through said jetk means to cause the heatexchange liquid to impinge against the inner surface of said drum.

8. In congealing apparatus of the type wherein a material to becongealed is supplied to the outer surface of a flexible cylinder andthe flexible cylinder is flexed to free the congealed material, aflexible cylinder containing a heat exchange liquid the volume of whichchanges when there are changes in temperature, an evaporator positionedwithin said cylinder and immersed in the heat exchange liquid, and asurge tank in com- 9. In congealing apparatus of the type wherein Y amaterial to be congealed is supplied to the outer surface of a flexiblecylinder and the flexible cylinder is flexed to free the congealedmaterial, a flexible cylinder containing va 1 heat exchange liquid thevolume of which changes when there are changes in temperature, anevaporator positioned within said cylinder and immersed in the heatexchange liquid, and liquid level* control means to compensate forchanges in temperature and thereby maintain a substantially constantliquid level and pressure head upon the heat exchange liquid.

10. In congealing apparatus of the type where in a material to becongealed is supplied to the outer surface of a flexible panel and someheat is withdrawn from the inner surface of the ilexible panel by a heatexchange liquid, means to support the flexible panel and. withdraw heatfrom the material being congealed through the wall structure of theflexible panel comprising, a central supporting member, and a webstructure and baille means mounted upon said central supporting memberand engaging the flexible panel and controlling the curvature thereof,said web structure and baille means being so constructed as todistribute the heat exchange liquid along the flexible panel.

11. In congealingapparatus of the type wherein a material to becongealed is supplied to the in the material to be congealed is suppliedto the outer surface of a cylinder and heat is extracted from thematerial through the wall structure of said cylinder, means to cool aheat exchange fluid within the cylinder comprising. a stationarycylinder construction having two header plates one of which is mountedadjacent each end of said stationary cylinder to form two endcompartments and a center compartment, a plurality of heat exchangetubes extending through said center compartment and ,said header platesand open at their ends to said end compartments, said stationarycylinder having openings in its outer wall to permit heat exchange nuidto now into one of said end compartments through said heat exchangetubes and into the other of said end compartments and then radiallytherefrom.

14. In congealing apparatus of the type wherein a metal cylinder ispositioned in a tank containing material to be congealed and during op-`eration the congealed material is deposited upon the outer surface ofthe freezing cylinder, the

f combination of: a freezing cylinder; a stationary outer surface of `aflexible panel and some heat is withdrawn from' the inner surface of theflexible in a liquid to be congealed is supplied to a flexiblepanelwhich is cooled to form ice thereon and wherein the flexible panel iscooled by means of a heat exchange fluid upon the side of said panelopposite the congealable liquid, means to extract heat from the heatexchange fluid comprising, a refrigerator evaporator immersed within theheat vexchange fluid and operatively connected with a refrigeratingsystem to supply liquid refrigerant thereto and withdraw gaseousrefrigerant therefrom, said evaporator comprising a cylindrical memberwith end headers and heat exchange tubes extending between the headersto permit the heat exchange iluid to flow therethrough.

13. In congealing apparatus of the type wherecylindrical constructionpositioned within the freezing cylinder and extending longitudinallythereof comprising, a pair of end plates positioned coaxially withrespect to the .freezing cylinder 'with one plate at each end of thefreezing cylinder, a hub means rigid with and extending outwardly fromeach of .said end plates, an evaporator cylinder rigidly mounted betweensaid end plates, a pair of header plates mounted within said evaporatorcylinder with one spaced from each of said end plates to divide saidevaporator cylinder into two end compartments and a center compartment,a plurality of heat exchange tubes extending through said centercompartment and said header plates and open at their ends to said endcompartment; means to supply a heat exchange fluid through one of saidhub means to the adjacent one of said end compartments; and means tosupply a liquid refrigerant to, and withdraw gaseous refrigerant from,said center compartment through the other of said hub means. l

15. In congealing apparatusof the type wherein the material to becongealed is supplied to the outer surface of a flexible cylinder andheat is withdrawn from the inner` surface of the said flexible cylinderby a heat exchange fluid, the combination of: a flexible cylinder; abaille construction; a stationaryL cylindrical .1ct construction carriedby said baille construction and supporting said cylinder for movementthereover, said jet construction comprising a plurality of Jets evenlyspaced and arranged to impinge the heat exchange fluid against the innersurface of said flexible cylinder; and an agitator positioned axially ofsaid cylinder and cooperating with said baille structure to deliverfluid evenly to said Jets; the apparatus being so arranged that fluidmoves axially from one end of the said flexible cylinder to the otherend and then moves longitudinally along said baille construction and thefluid is delivered to said Jets under a uniform head.

16. In congealing apparatus of the type wherein a liquid to be congealedis supplied to a flexible panel which'is cooled to congeal such liquidand wherein the exible panel is cooled by means of a heat exchange fluidsupplied to the side of said panel opposite the side to which thecongealable liquid is supplied, means to extract heat from the heatexchange iluid comprising, a refrigerator evaporator immersed in theheat exchange iluid and operatively connected with a refrigeratingsystem which supplies liquid refrigerant thereto and withdraws gaseousrefrigerant therefrom, said evaporator comprising a shell constructionhaving two end headers and heat exchange elongated members between theheaders to permit thorough heat exchange relationship between therefrigerant in said evaporator .and the heat exchange iiuid, saidapparatus including means to cause the heat exchange uid to flow.intoheat exchange relationship with said evaporator and then into` heatexchange relationship with said panel.

17. In congealing apparatus of the type wherein a liquid to be congealedis supplied to a ilexible panel which is'cooled to congeal thereonliquid supplied thereto and wherein the ilexible panel is cooled bymeans of a heat exchange iiuid and duid-circulating constructioncomprising a f member with end-headers and heat exchange tubes extendingbetween the headers to permit the heat exchange iluidfto flowtherethrough and agitating means to impart movement to the heat exchangeiluid to cause the heat exchange iiuid to now through said tubes so thatcooled refrigerant is delivered to said panel.

CROSBY FIELD.

